To help us tell the Speedbowl’s story, we reached out to people from all eras: drivers, car owners, car builders, track operators, flagmen, journalists, photographers and announcers. To date, we’ve interviewed 54 people on camera in total. Read a little about all of them below and how their accomplishments or connections to the New London-Waterford Speedbowl has helped us chronicle the track’s long history.
(listed alphabetically by last name)
DON BENVENUTI
Speedbowl co-owner/operator 1965-1974
Son of original track owner Frank Benvenuti
former motorcycle competitor
ERIC BERNDT
Grandson of NEAR Hall of Famer Ron Berndt
Youngest SK Modified winner at Speedbowl
2001-2002 $5K Modified Nationals winner
15 career SK Modified feature wins
RON BOUCHARD
1975 Yankee All-Star winner
1977-1978 Blast Off 100 winner
1981 NASCAR Cup Talladega winner
1998 NEAR Hall of Fame inductee
*Ron passed away on December 10, 2015
MARK ‘BONES’ BOURCIER
former Speedway Scene columnist
racing biographer – published books on
Ed Flemke, Bugsy Stevens, Richie Evans
& many more racing personalities
RICHARD ‘DICK’ BROOKS
has lived behind the Speedbowl most of his life
former car owner of #65 & #651 modifieds
former Speedbowl pit steward & flagman
NASCAR Modified Tour official since 1985
JOHN BROUWER
Son of former co-owner Jack Brouwer
former handicapper & PR Director 1958-1974
Speedbowl historian – published “A Racing
History of the NL-W Speedbowl” in 1974
JOHN BROUWER JR
Grandson of former co-owner Jack Brouwer
1996 Late Model Champion
12 overall career wins in 3 different divisions
KEN CASSIDY JR
Son of former Street Stock driver Ken Cassidy
5-time Mini Stock Champion
Mini Stock Career Wins record holder
2012 NWAAS Div IV National Champion
TODD CERAVOLO
Son of 1988 Modified Champion Dick Ceravolo
1989 SK Modified Co-Owner Champion
1997 SK Modified Champion
24 career Speedbowl feature wins
TYLER CHADWICK
2012 SK Modified Champion
youngest SK Modified champion in history
22 career SK Modified feature wins
2014 $5K Modified Nationals winner
SHAWN COURCHESNE
RaceDayCT founder & reporter
former sports journalist for Hartford Courant
2007 AP National Sports Editor award finalist
has covered weekly Speedbowl events since 2000
MIKE DAIGNAULT
1973 Late Model Champion
won a record 10 Late Model races in 1971
4-time Most Popular Driver Award recipient
returned in 1990’s to win 3 more LM races
DAN DARNSTAEDT
1996 Mini Stock Champion
won a record 11 Mini Stock races in 1995
29 career Mini Stock feature wins
35 career Speedbowl feature wins
ED FLEMKE JR
Son of Modified driver & builder Ed Flemke
Co-owner of RaceWorks chassis shop
former SK Modified competitor 1985-87
2-time NASCAR Modified winner at Speedbowl
DON FOWLER
3-time Grand-American Late Model Champion
competed at Speedbowl for over 40 years
24 career Speedbowl feature wins
TOM FOX
1993 and 1995 Late Model Champion
won 10 or more races in 3 different seasons
61 career Speedbowl feature wins
Former Race Director 2009-2010
BOB FREEMAN
former Speedbowl announcer
former writer for Speedbowl program
former writer for Speedway Scene
BOB GADA
2-time Late Model Champion
patriarc of ‘bowl’s most accomplished family
18 career Speedbowl feature wins
DENNIS GADA
7-time SK Modified Champion
62 career SK Modified feature wins
2003 NWAAS Northeast Regional Champion
2003 & 2008 $5K Modified Nationals winner
MARGARET ‘PEG’ GAUDREAU
1st female car-owner at the Speedbowl
wife of car builder Al ‘Budda’ Gaudreau
5 straight owner championships (1972-1976)
*Peg passed away on January 7, 2014
MARK GEER
Former Modified driver & car builder
Longtime Speedbowl tech inspector
Former Race Director 1993-1995
longtime Waterford, CT resident
JOE GOLAS
former Speedbowl announcer
known as “The Voice of the Speedbowl“
member of Paul Tremaine’s ‘Checkered Flag
Announcer‘ team
DAVE HUMPHREY
1951 Modified Champion
6-time NEMA Midget Champion
2000 NEAR Hall of Fame inductee
COREY HUTCHINGS
2-time Late Model Champion
2-time Street Stock Champion
2003 NASCAR ShortTrack Regional Champion
61 career Speedbowl feature wins
ROB JANOVIC JR
2007 SK Modified Champion
22 career SK Modified feature wins
29 career Speedbowl feature wins
longtime Waterford, CT resident
STEVE KENNEDY
accomplished artist and photographer
Speedbowl photographer since late 1970’s
author of ‘Modified Stock Car Racing of the
1960’s & 1970’s‘
DAN KORTEWEG
former track operator under his family’s
K Corporation from 1988-1994
former flagman
former General Manager 1988-1994
GEORGE KORTEWEG
former track operator under his family’s
K Corporation from 1988-1994
former Track President 1988-1994
WAYNE KORTEWEG
former track operator under his family’s
K Corporation from 1988-1994
former pace car driver
former Race Director of Sunday Stocker Series
MARK LAJEUNESSE
Speedbowl competitor for over 30 years
18 career Speedbowl feature wins
2000 $5K Modified Nationals winner
TONY LECKEY
longtime Speedbowl official
former flagman
former Race Director 1996-1999
MIKE LOVETERE
former Modified & Late Model competitor
10 career Speedbowl feature wins
frequent SS Race of Champions competitor
longtime Waterford, CT educator
FRED LUCHESI
1954 Modified Champion
25 Modified feature wins from 1952-1954
2008 NEAR Hall of Fame inductee
BRIAN McCARTHY
1986 Late Model Champion
4-time runner-up to Championship
29 career Speedbowl feature wins
SHAWN MONAHAN
2001 Sportsman Champion
16 overall career wins in 3 different divisions
longtime Waterford, CT resident
current Speedbowl General Manager 2015-
CHRIS PASTERYAK
2-time Legend Car Champion
former SK Modified competitor
3-time VMRS winner at the Speedbowl
26 career Speedbowl feature wins
JEFF PEARL
son of 1993 SK Modified Champ Jerry Pearl
1997 SK Modified Champion
38 career SK Modified feature wins
2007 $5K Modified Nationals winner
BOB POTTER
Speedbowl’s 1st 6-time Modified Champion
over 90 feature wins in Modified divisions
3-time Waterford 200 winner
2007 NEAR Hall of Fame inductee
ED PULEO
2011 Street Stock Champion
former SK Modified competitor
23 career Speedbowl feature wins
crew member for Johnny Cambino’s return to racing in the 1990’s
ED REED JR
son of 1978 Street Stock Champ Ed Reed
1997 Late Model Champion
2004 SK Modified Champion
34 career Speedbowl feature wins
BILLY ROBERTS
longtime Speedbowl official
former flagman 1996-1999
former Race Director 1999-2005
KEITH ROCCO
Speedbowl’s all-time career wins leader
Speedbowl’s 1st 8-time Track Champion
2010 NWAAS National Champion
8-time NASCAR Connecticut Champion
‘FLASH’ GORDON RODGERS
3-time Speedbowl Championship Owner
1984 Late Model Champion with C.J. Frye
1997 LM & 2004 SK Champion w Ed Reed Jr
*Gordon passed away on January 12, 2016
‘FARMER’ PHIL RONDEAU
6-time Late Model Champion
1st driver to win 100 features overall
1st driver to win 100 features in 1 division
1989 Pocono Race of Champions winner
PHIL SMITH
longtime Speedbowl handicapper
longtime racing columnist
BILL SWEET
1967-1968 Daredevil Champion
40 career Speedbowl feature wins
*Bill passed away on December 26, 2011
BRUCE THOMAS JR
Son of 3-time Mini Stock Champion Bruce Thomas
2001 Mini Stock Champion
2007-2010 Late Model Champion
58 career Late Model feature wins
SEABURY TRIPLER
builder of the 1st Pinto-bodied Modified
6 career Modified feature wins
DAVE TRUDEAU
Nephew of 1971 Champion Joe Trudeau
7 career Mini Stock feature wins
JOE TRUDEAU
1971 Modified Champion
8 career Modified feature wins
ERIC WEBSTER
Son of 4-time Champion Charlie Webster
former Street Stock competitor
longtime Speedbowl official
current Speedbowl Race Director 2016-
RICHARD ‘DICK’ WILLIAMS
former Speedbowl operator 1978, 1981-1984
former crew member & car owner
former handicapper & racing official
RAE ANN WILLIAMS
Speedbowl’s 1st female to compete w/ men
1st woman to qualify for a feature
1st woman to win a qualifying heat race
PETE ZANARDI
former race fan & crew member
longtime sports journalist in New England
Speedbowl PR Director 1997-2006
2008 NEAR Hall of Fame inductee
—– OFF-CAMERA INTERVIEWS —–
MARK ARUTE
owner/operator of Stafford Motor Speedway
part of 7A Productions team who leased Speedbowl 1985-1987
son of 7A President & Stafford owner Jack Arute
FRED BEABER
Car owner & builder of the Checkerboard 716 coupe
1966 Modified Owner Champion with Charlie Webster
Built cars that raced at the Speedbowl for 5 decades
DON BUNNELL
youngest brother of the Bunnell family
33 career Speedbowl feature wins
1976 BiCentennial Modified 200 winner
won features in 4 different decades
DICK DUNN
4-time Speedbowl Modified Champion 1972-1975
40 career Modified feature wins
7 Modified feature wins of 100 laps or longer
*Dick passed away on March 27, 2015
ED MOODY
1962 Bomber Champion
43 Bomber feature wins 1960-1962
46 career Speedbowl feature wins
HARVEY TATTERSALL IV
grandson of former Speedbowl owner Harvey Tattersall Jr
son of former Speedbowl General Manager Harvey Tattersall III
